Community call to use old hall

REPRESENTATIVES from various groups are banding together to advocate for the use of the old Bannockburn Shire Hall as a potential as a community space.

The commercial use of the space, located at 12 High Street is currently again being sought by Golden Plains Shire staff through an extended two-month expression of interest that’s set to close at the end of September.

The hall had been put out for rent a number of times during the last two years with no tenant found for the space.

For the past month, members of GP Arts, and Friends of the Bannockburn Bush have been crafting their own submission to have the hall rebranded as the “Golden Plains Centre for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Environment.”

One of the key campaigners is Rosslyn Bosnar and she’s a member of GP Arts as well its local subgroup Bannockburn Arts.

She said the building would be best served as a community asset.

“It’s such a lovely old building,” she said. “It should be used for community things like a gallery space, a place for meetings, or some mixed community-use premises.

“It can be used for all sorts of things. Lions Club are interested, so are Friends of Bannockburn Bush, Bannockburn Inclusive. There’s a lot of community support behind this.

“Council seem to want it as a commercial return. It’s more beneficial to have it used as a shared building.

“It’ll allow a home for people who want to do things for the community under the one place.”

Ms Bosnar said she’s been individually lobbying to have the site be used as a community space for the past two decades.

Another organiser is Friends of Bannockburn Bush, and Geelong Landcare Network’s Stuart McCallum, who said the town is in need of a new community space.

“It seems such a waste to have a building like that and not have it for that purpose when other areas in Golden Plains have their spaces,” he said.

“Especially as an art gallery, Bannockburn doesn’t have that. If you want to have a meeting as well, you have to book a room at the cultural centre. They’ve only got so many space.”

The combined group’s proposal suggests the space could be used for community displays, as well as workshops and get-togethers.

The proposal has received more than 30 letters of support and more than 70 signatures from community group and local business representatives respectively.

The building had previously been used as council chambers before meetings were moved to the Bannockburn Civic Centre in 2020 following that site’s construction.

The old Shire Hall is currently vacant and was last used as a COVID vaccination centre.

A spokesperson for the municipality said the Bannockburn Shire Hall is an ideal location to help activate the town’s central business district.

“The site was rezoned by council from public purpose to a commercial 1 zone after council moved its operations into the Civic Centre in 2020,” the spokesperson said.

“In relation to commercial or retail sites in Bannockburn generally, there is an identified shortage of suitable properties to accommodate retail and commercial activities to support the growing population.

“Given its prominent location on the main street of Bannockburn, in close proximity to the major retail space of Bannockburn Plaza and the lack of commercial zoned land in Bannockburn, the building was considered to be ideal to assist in activating the Bannockburn CBD.”

Similar commercial EOI periods for the space were held by the municipality in May and November 2020.

The spokesperson said a decision has yet to be made on the future of the building.

“No decision has yet been made to lease the property,” the spokesperson said. “A public EOI process is currently underway and following consideration of submissions, a decision to lease will be made.

“The cost to council for any proposed use of the space, commercial or community, would be considered based on the successful EOI.

“Council incurs costs related to maintenance of any council-owned property. Rent paid by tenants contributes to maintenance and other building related expenses.

“Any changes to the space would be negotiated with the successful tenant, following the EOI process.”